Chicago White Sox Owner

The Chicago White Sox is a professional baseball team headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. Established in 1901 as part of the American League, the team plays its home games at Guaranteed Rate Field on the South Side of Chicago. The franchise is renowned for securing three World Series titles in 1906, 1917, and 2005; notably, their 2005 championship marked the conclusion of an 88-year championship drought.

The origins of the White Sox trace back to the Western League. Initially founded as the Sioux City Cornhuskers in 1894, the team subsequently relocated to St. Paul, Minnesota, where it was known as the St. Paul Saints before finally moving to Chicago in 1900. In the same year, they became one of eight charter franchises in the American League under the name "Chicago White Stockings," which was shortened to "White Sox" by 1904. As of the conclusion of the 2023 season, the Chicago White Sox have claimed a total of seven American League pennants awarded in the years 1900, 1901, 1906, 1917, 1919,1959, and again in 2005. Since their inception to the 2023 season, they maintain an overall win-loss record of 9,553 wins against 9,491 losses with 103 ties (.502).

Who owns the Chicago White Sox?

Jerry Reinsdorf owns the Chicago White Sox, a Major League Baseball team, and the Chicago Bulls, an NBA team. He became part owner of the White Sox in 1981 and eventually became the full owner in 2017 after the death of his business partner, Eddie Einhorn. Eddie served as the vice chairman of the Chicago White Sox from 1981 until he died in 2016.

Reinsdorf is known for his role as a hardliner against labor unions. He has been influential in implementing the salary cap and revenue sharing in the NBA. He has been considered one of the most influential basketball owners since the early 1990s.

Before his career in sports, Reinsdorf worked as an IRS lawyer after graduating from Northwestern University in 1960. He then went into private practice and specialized in real estate partnership tax shelters. In 1973, he sold his business interests in real estate and formed Balcor, a company that raised significant funds to invest in construction projects. He sold Balcor in 1982 for $102 million but remained as the company's president for several years.

Jerry Reinsdorf’s role as the principal owner of the Chicago White Sox?

Jerry Reinsdorf has been the owner and chairman of the Chicago White Sox since 1981. He was set to acquire the team for $19 million through a deal brokered by American National Bank but arranged a limited partnership. Eddie Einhorn, who served as vice chariman until he died in 2016, was involved in the partnership.

Under Reinsdorf's ownership, the White Sox saw significant improvements. The team's promotional budget was tripled, and the number of scouts was increased from 12 to 20. In the 1983 MLB season, the White Sox made the playoffs with the best record in the league. Reinsdorf also signed a television deal with Sportsvision.

In 2005, the White Sox won the World Series, marking their first championship since 1917 and the only playoff series victory during Reinsdorf's ownership. Additionally, in 1991, Reinsdorf led the team's move from Comiskey Park to New Comiskey Park.

Chicago White Sox Valuation

As per Forbes in March 2024, the Chicago White Sox' valuation is $2.05 billion.

List of Chicago White Sox owners

Here is the list of all owners of the Chicago White Sox throughout its history: